Matthew Caesar <mcaesar@student.nospam.umass.edu> wrote:

> Does anyone have any experience bringing meat (specifically, dried salami)
> into Japan?  I'm looking to bring two or three with me as gifts when I make
> a trip over there on the 28th.  I found a website run by the Japanese gov't
> (http://www.maff-aqs.go.jp/english/ryoko/aq2/aq2.htm) that seems to say it's
> ok, and I even submitted a question, and they said it was alright as well,
> but I needed to have a certificate from the United Stated Dept. of
> Agriculture saying that the salami originated from a healthy animal.

Most beef jerky has the "certificate" printed right on the label.  But
for salami, unless it is mass produced, it probably won't have such
certification.  See the "bug" on the lower left hand corner of the
package of Tengu Beef Jerky.

http://www.tenguco.com/jerky.html

Hmmm, looking at your reference web page above, it is not the
"certificate" but rather a stamp.

With the current state of affairs regarding BSE, I would say that
anything remotely resembling meat would be confiscated *if* found
without such a certificate.

> I don't know how long it'd take to get such a certificate, and I was
> wondering if anyone knows where to get it, or if it is really even
> necessary, as I don't think I'd be able to buy this salami if it didn't come
> from a healthy animal in the first place.

Is this salami really worth the trouble?

I have eaten incredible Parma ham in Italy but it looked like too much
trouble to bring it into Japan.

P.S.  I could use some good salsa.

-- 
Matt
matt@gol.com